1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is directed to surgical access devices, and more particularly, to multi-port access devices for minimally invasive surgical procedures.
2. Description of Related Art
Laparoscopic or “minimally invasive” surgical techniques are becoming commonplace in the performance of procedures such as cholecystectomies, appendectomies, hernia repair and nephrectomies. Benefits of such procedures include reduced trauma to the patient, reduced opportunity for infection, and decreased recovery time. Such procedures commonly involve filling or “insufflating” the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity with a pressurized fluid, such as carbon dioxide, to create what is referred to as a pneumoperitoneum.
The insufflation can be carried out by a surgical access device equipped to deliver insufflation fluid, or by a separate insufflation device, such as an insufflation (veress) needle. CONMED Corporation of Utica, N.Y., USA has developed unique surgical access devices that permit ready access to an insufflated surgical cavity without the need for conventional mechanical seals, and it has developed related gas delivery systems for providing sufficient pressure and flow rates to such access devices, as described in whole or in part in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,854,724 and 8,795,223, the disclosures of which are both herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.
During typical laparoscopic procedures, a surgeon makes three to four small incisions, usually no larger than about twelve millimeters each. Typically the surgical access device is inserted into an incision using a separate inserter or obturator placed therein. Following insertion, the inserter is removed, and the trocar allows access for instruments to be inserted into the abdominal cavity.
A variety of larger access devices are also known in the art for accessing a surgical site through a single relatively large incision to perform minimally invasive procedures, rather than through multiple small incisions. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0012782, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Trans-anal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) is a specialized minimally invasive approach to removing benign polyps and some cancerous tumors within the rectum and lower sigmoid colon. The benefit of TAMIS is that it is considered an organ-sparing procedure, and is performed entirely through the body's natural opening, requiring no skin incisions to gain access to a polyp or tumor. This scar-free recovery provides a quick return to normal bowel function. Unlike traditional surgery where a major portion of the large intestine is removed, with TAMIS the surgeon will precisely remove the diseased tissue, leaving the rest of the natural bowel lumen intact to function normally. Traditional surgery often requires a large incision and a hospital stay ranging from a few days to more than a week. A TAMIS procedure may only require an overnight stay in the hospital or can be performed as an outpatient procedure, often permitting patients an immediate return to an active lifestyle. TATMe (Trans-anal Total Mesorectal Excision) is a more significant trans-anal procedure.
It would be beneficial to provide a single incision access device having multiple ports with a variety of different port sizes to give a surgeon more options for instrument introduction during a laparoscopic surgical procedure. It would also be beneficial to provide an access device having multiple ports with a variety of different port sizes that enables ready access to natural orifices for performing trans-anal minimally invasive surgical procedures or the like.